The present invention relates to a paper towel holder for supporting a roll of paper in a paper towel dispenser.
Commercial paper towel dispensers must support a large roll of paper towel material so that the roll can rotate in response to pulling on the leading edge of the paper. Various marketing strategies have been employed in marketing paper towel dispensers and paper towel material. One such strategy has been for paper companies to sell the paper towel material directly to the customer and the paper towel dispenser manufacturers to sell their dispensers independently of the paper towel suppliers to the same customers. This strategy requires the customer to deal with two different suppliers rather than just one. Recently paper manufacturers have taken on the role of supplying not only paper but also the dispensers. Accordingly, a great deal of interest has developed in ways of ensuring only the paper of a particular manufacturer can be used with a particular dispenser.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a paper towel roll holder that can be used with only paper towel rolls of a particular paper company.
According to the invention there is provided a support arm for supporting a paper towel roll, the roll having selected openings in one end, in a paper towel dispenser, and having a dispenser engaging arm portion, a cylindrical portion affixed to the arm portion, and an outer sleeve abutting a first side of the cylindrical portion. An inner sleeve slidably engages a second side of the cylindrical portion. An interconnecting structure interconnects the inner and outer sleeves and is insertable into the selected openings in the end of the paper towel.
The selected openings may include a cylindrical opening in a center of the roll and slots cut into the end of the roll from the cylindrical opening in a preselected orientation.
Preferably the inner sleeve is slidably insertable into the cylindrical opening in the end of the roll.
The interconnecting structure may be a plurality of radially directed webs extending outwardly of the inner sleeve.
Advantageously, the inner sleeve has a plurality of tabs with outwardly directed shoulders which can be press-fitted through an opening in a center of said cylindrical portion and snap out such that the shoulders lock onto a back surface of the cylindrical portion.